Tiny zebra-striped bee sighting a 'huge surprise'

A tiny zebra-striped bee, usually found along England’s south and east coasts, has made an unexpected journey to the West Country.

The rare sea aster mining bee has been spotted at Steart Marshes in Somerset by naturalist Nigel Phillips, who said the find “was a huge surprise”.

The Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust said saltmarsh restoration work at the nature reserve had helped create the perfect home for the newcomer.

The charity says the discovery shows how rare species and wildlife can thrive by restoring coastal habitats.

The species nests independently and relies on the saltmarsh plant called sea aster for food

The sea aster mining bee has a particular taste in flowers and relies on the sea aster, a pink and yellow flower that blooms on coastal marshes, as summer moves into autumn.

The restoration project at Steart Marshes was completed in 2014, transforming former farmland into a coastal wetland by allowing seawater to flow back across the fields.